After the initial 60 volunteers, he went on to
raise another 14 companies of horse which finally comprised the ironsides, he
was duly promoted to Colonel.

As with the rest of his life he showed no
favour to social standing, money, or even religious leaning when he appointed
his officers. he appointed them on merit. This was eventually acted on by
parliament as a whole when they instituted the famous 'New Model Army'.

Personally I doubt that this meant that Cromwell
was an egalitarian, he just insisted in the best men for the job. This
was unusual and was not seen again in a 'British' army until the middle of the
C20th.

The success of Cromwell's cavalry relied on
their discipline. The Royalists had fine horse regiments but after a single
charge they were inclined to charge off the field and disperse, such as they did
at the battle of Edgehill whereas Cromwell held his men ready for further action
if necessary.

In 1646 the king's last stronghold at Oxford
surrendered. This was the end of the first Civil war, although now a lieutenant
general Cromwell had never been in sole command of an army, that was to come.

In this brief period of peace a group
popularly known as the 'Levellers' attempted social reform both in the army and
in society in general. they wanted to continue reforms started in the New Model
Army. They also wanted a fairer distribution of land and the vote for all
persons of independent means.

Cromwell who belonged to a group known as the
independents opposed this. talks were held at Putney but bore no fruit. The
talks were interrupted by the second Civil war and the Irish campaigns.

The levellers rose in mutiny and were finally
crushed by Cromwell at Burford in Oxfordshire. Burford still holds annual
festivities honouring the 3 soldiers executed by Cromwell.

John Lilburne had been a close ally
of Cromwell, who had campaigned for his release when had been imprisoned
in 1640.

A major player in the leveller movement he felt
completely betrayed by Cromwell who crushed the leveller movement without
mercy.